From Mushrooms Underfoot to Unexpected Turtles

A lovely Saturday afternoon was recently spent at Overfelt Gardens/Chinese Cultural Gardens in San Jose as I waited for my son to finish up at his Destination Imagination competition (yes! They won!). There were mushrooms a'plenty after all the winter rains.

At first I thought it was just the usual kind of city park, with some sculpture here and there.But then across the little pond I spotted this cool pavilion and realized it was something a bit more than just the usual park.

People were out enjoying the sunny day.

One of the founders of the garden and her daughter (The woman you can see there through the window) were there sweeping up and were kind enough to explain how the garden was founded and a lot about the symbolic meanings in the designs on the buildings and garden walls.

I wish I remembered it all so I could write it all down here. There was a lot about the elements, this was I believe air (see the clouds).I think this was the symbol for water (see the waves).

I particularly love this swirly wheel/sun design, it was something about the cycle of life and everything being one.The marble mama lion.Dragons on the roof tops.A painted ceiling in one of the small pavilions.Pretty designs on the ceiling and corners.

A beautiful gate to walk under.I noticed something in the corner of the gate as I walked under.A nest!

A great big statue of Confucius.

I like this picture of him where he is walking on the treetops.

Some interesting details in the marble base of a sundial.

The blossoms were popping out on a lot of the trees.

And finally, an unexpected turtle picture! I was taking a picture of the goose in the foreground with my zoom.

I didn't spot the turtle until I looked at the pictures on my computer.

Vision is a funny thing isn't it?